Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

Latest Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

How moving to a walkable city can add 1,100 steps to your day

Moving to a more walkable city boosts daily step counts by around 1,100, with gains lasting at least three months and consistent across most demographic groups. Large walkability improvements nearly double the share of people meeting U.S. aerobic activity guidelines.

14 Aug 2025

New 2025 guidelines focus on early intervention and lifestyle to manage high blood pressure

Preventing and managing high blood pressure with healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as following a heart-healthy diet including reducing salt intake, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight and managing stress—combined with early treatment with medication to lower blood pressure if necessary—are recommended to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, cognitive decline and dementia, according to a new clinical guideline published today in the American Heart Association's peer-reviewed journals Circulation and Hypertension, and in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology.

14 Aug 2025

PFAS exposure increases risk of weight regain after adolescent bariatric surgery

Adolescents who undergo bariatric surgery face a higher risk of weight regain, which can undermine treatment success and long-term health, if they have elevated blood levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) prior to the procedure, according to new USC research.

14 Aug 2025

HonorHealth taps longevity authority Nicholas J. Schork to lead new research division

Nicholas J. Schork, Ph.D., an international authority on human longevity and health maintenance, has joined HonorHealth Research Institute as Research Director of Longevity, Prevention and Interception.

14 Aug 2025

Research shows GLP-1 drugs safeguard vision despite small retinopathy risk

A large study of over 185,000 adults with type 2 diabetes found that GLP-1 receptor agonist use was linked to a slight increase in new diabetic retinopathy cases but fewer severe eye complications, including a reduced risk of blindness. Patients with existing retinopathy on these drugs also needed fewer invasive eye treatments over two years.

13 Aug 2025

Pregabalin raises heart failure risk in older adults compared to gabapentin, study finds

A large Medicare cohort study found that older adults prescribed pregabalin had a significantly higher risk of developing heart failure compared to those prescribed gabapentin. The elevated risk was most pronounced in individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, especially women and White patients.

13 Aug 2025

Lifestyle interventions key to closing life expectancy gap in mental illness

Mental health services must urgently increase investment in lifestyle interventions to improve care and help close the 15-year life expectancy gap faced by people with mental illness, a new Lancet Psychiatry Commission report warns.

12 Aug 2025

Study identifies biomarkers that could help predict and manage chronic kidney disease

Biomarkers that could help predict and manage chronic kidney disease (CKD) have been identified in a new study led by the University of Surrey.

12 Aug 2025

New Canadian guideline highlights expanded role of obesity medications

"Pharmacotherapy can help people living with obesity improve overall health, not just lose weight," says Dr. Sue D. Pedersen, MD, endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist in Calgary, and lead author of this guideline. "The goal of obesity medications is to improve metabolic, mechanical, and/or mental health, and improve quality of life, incorporating treatment goals that are important to each individual patient."

11 Aug 2025

Cutting HFSS ultra-processed foods may save lives, says AHA report

The American Heart Association’s new science advisory links high consumption of ultra-processed foods to increased cardiometabolic risks and mortality, urging targeted reduction of HFSS UPFs. The report also calls for policy reforms, equity-focused strategies, and further research into mechanisms beyond nutrient content.

11 Aug 2025

Brain’s energy control map offers blueprint for next-gen weight loss therapies

Scientists map how the brain integrates hormonal and neural signals from the body to control appetite, energy use, and reward pathways, revealing targets for next-generation anti-obesity drugs. This review highlights the interplay between neuroendocrine circuits, neuroplasticity, and pharmacotherapy for durable, non-aversive weight loss.

11 Aug 2025

Stalking and restraining orders linked to higher risk of heart disease in women

Women who reported having been stalked or obtained a restraining order were each more likely to experience a heart attack and/or stroke in later years compared to those who did not, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

11 Aug 2025

Epigenetic breakthrough: $200 blood test spots diabetes heart risk better than standard tools

Researchers have developed a blood-based DNA methylation risk score that predicts first macrovascular events in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients more accurately than current cardiovascular risk tools. The score, when combined with clinical factors, could help target early prevention in high-risk individuals.

11 Aug 2025

Prediabetes mortality link strongest in 20–54 age group

In a large US study, prediabetes was linked to higher mortality risk in younger adults aged 20–54, but not in older groups, after adjusting for demographics, lifestyle, and comorbidities. Targeted prevention strategies could help reduce early deaths in working-age populations.

11 Aug 2025

Understanding the complex relationship between ultraprocessed foods and health

Ultraprocessed foods or UPFs are a growing concern due to their widespread consumption and impact on potential health risks.

8 Aug 2025

Gender gaps in Mediterranean eating and living

Gender differences in Mediterranean diet adherence impact health outcomes, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to promote healthier lifestyles.

8 Aug 2025

Vital role of physical activity in early type 2 diabetes care

New research to be presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria (15-19 September) shows, among people recently diagnosed with type with type 2 diabetes and no previous cardiovascular disease, a clear association exists between a person's self-reported physical activity and their risk of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE), that include heart attacks and strokes.

8 Aug 2025

How too much screen time affects kids’ heart health and what can reduce the risk

A large Danish cohort study found that higher screen time in childhood and adolescence is linked to worse cardiometabolic health, with shorter sleep amplifying the risk. Blood metabolomics revealed a signature of high screen time, and in teens, it was tied to higher predicted cardiovascular disease risk.

7 Aug 2025

AI-powered sweat sensor predicts anxiety before symptoms appear

Researchers have developed Stressomic, a wearable microfluidic biosensor that sequentially measures cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in sweat at six-minute intervals. The device distinguishes physical from psychological stress and predicts anxiety levels using machine learning.

7 Aug 2025

Study links epigenetic markers to cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes

People with type 2 diabetes are up to four times more likely to have heart attacks, strokes, anginas and other coronary heart diseases than healthy people.

7 Aug 2025